Cold Tear Records

In this album Florian describes his understanding of techno music through his own music. Go here and enjoy: http://coldtear.com/f-l-o-cryptic/

“If you’re old enough to recall the thriving electronic music scene of the ’90s, or if you’re an avid electronic music fan that has spent a copious amount of time exploring the genre, you’ll either remember or know that artists at that time weren’t afraid of experimentation. Back then, expansive sounds were being created, and we as listeners were challenged to absorb the wonderous sonic varieties, not knowing quite what hit us. As digital technology advanced, so too did the music. This, of course, wasn’t a bad thing – It gave the musician a lot more flexibility and didn’t require them to be encumbered by crates of vinyl or hardware synthesisers. Another advantage was that production techniques would become cleaner. The one thing I really miss is the rawness of ’90s electronic, though. It gave the music a rough edge; it was all warm and gritty. Fast forward to today and most artists will have sanded every single one of those edges until the sound is all nice and rounded, perfect for 21st Century audiophiles. John Shern, better known as SEN, dared to be different with the release of ‘Sensory Emotive Network’.”

Read full article here: http://bloodorlove.com/reviews/sen-sensory-emotive-network/

A new album by an artist from Czech know as Optical Framework is now out! The album is called “Aether Blueprints”.

Check it out here: http://coldtear.com/optical-framework-aether-blueprints/

So one day me (Evaldas) and em eff  (Michael Frazer) got in touch through skype to talk about things after he released his debut album on our label called “We Speak In Non Sequitur“. But our chat wasn’t like that name of an album Check it out:

[10:38:22 PM] Michael Frazer: hello
[10:38:41 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas: hi
[10:38:42 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas: [:
[10:38:47 PM] Michael Frazer: How are you?
[10:38:56 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas: ok
[10:39:02 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas: you wanna do the interview?
[10:39:06 PM] Michael Frazer: Sure.
[10:39:12 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas: ok then
[10:39:22 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas: in this case
[10:39:28 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas: you better tell how you are
[10:39:29 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas:
[10:39:48 PM] Michael Frazer: Hehe I’m doing well. Just sitting in my office right now getting work done.
[10:39:59 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas: cool
[10:40:04 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas: what are you working on?
[10:40:27 PM] Michael Frazer: Right now, working on art for my next album.
[10:40:38 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas: wow [:
[10:40:47 PM | Edited 10:40:51 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas: you’re releasing another album?
[10:40:58 PM] Michael Frazer: Yes, indeed.
[10:41:04 PM] Michael Frazer: I’ve been working with a vocalist for this one.
[10:41:46 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas: sounds interesting
[10:41:55 PM] Michael Frazer: I hope so.
[10:42:05 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas: and on what label and when it is going to be out?
[10:42:48 PM] Michael Frazer: It’s coming out on a San Diego based label called Cloud Collective. When it’s going to be out is another story. (Still working on mixing the music, art, &c.)
[10:42:54 PM] Michael Frazer: But soon, I think.
[10:43:01 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas: i see
[10:43:10 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas: is it similair to “We Speak In Non Sequitur”
[10:43:13 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas: ?
[10:43:22 PM] Michael Frazer: Somewhat.
[10:43:53 PM] Michael Frazer: Like “We Speak in Non Sequitur” in that it maintains experimentation with sound, especially in live sampling for beats.
[10:44:13 PM] Michael Frazer: It digresses a bit because it’s more heavily influenced by chiptune.
[10:44:39 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas: i noticed that you’re into chiptunes recently
[10:44:48 PM] Michael Frazer: Yeah, haha.
[10:44:56 PM] Michael Frazer: I think I need to get back to IDM, though.
[10:45:05 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas: hehe
[10:45:34 PM] Michael Frazer: I feel like the chiptune’s been fun, but I feel like it’s such a subculture of music that only certain listeners truly enjoy.
[10:45:58 PM] Michael Frazer: With experimental/IDM, I think I was able to reach a larger group of people who were interested in listening.
[10:46:47 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas: yeah i agree, chiptunes is a small niche
[10:46:54 PM] Michael Frazer: So it goes.
[10:47:11 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas: how did it feel to release your debut album?
[10:47:39 PM] Michael Frazer: It was pretty exciting, to be honest.
[10:48:02 PM] Michael Frazer: I wasn’t expecting my music to ever take off in any way.
[10:48:16 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas: but people really liked this album
[10:48:20 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas: got some great feedback [:
[10:48:45 PM] Michael Frazer: I’m glad to hear it.
[10:48:51 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas: and i also wanted to ask
[10:48:56 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas: what is this album about?
[10:49:08 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas: it’s like i understand what the title says but still
[10:49:14 PM] Michael Frazer: Sure.
[10:49:36 PM] Michael Frazer: The album wasn’t initially centered on a concept or feeling, but a sound.
[10:49:49 PM] Michael Frazer: I started with “A Pavlovian Sentimental” and wanted to work in that strain
[10:50:13 PM] Michael Frazer: However, as I continued to produce, the album began to take on the emotions I was feeling at the time.
[10:50:27 PM] Michael Frazer: It’s about a botched relationship/friendship of mine.
[10:51:02 PM] Michael Frazer: The title derives from the missed calls, the texts, the logical gaps in communication when people fail to do just that: commmunicate.
[10:51:30 PM] Michael Frazer: Music was the way I could kind of work through the pain of it.
[10:51:46 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas: i see, interesting story behind the album [:
[10:52:18 PM] Michael Frazer: Yeah, it was a strange period of time hehe.
[10:52:50 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas: Another question, i saw that you have like an internet radio show or something like that, tell me about that [:
[10:52:58 PM] Michael Frazer: Sure thing.
[10:53:37 PM] Michael Frazer: About a year ago (maybe?), I started DJing for Rewind FM (RWD FM).
[10:53:48 PM] Michael Frazer: I do a two hour slot weekly on Mondays.
[10:54:28 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas: and is there any kind of concept or you just play the stuff you enjoy?
[10:55:03 PM] Michael Frazer: I play A LOT of Progressive House, a lot of dance stuff.
[10:55:14 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas: cool
[10:55:34 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas: so you listen to dance music too?
[10:55:39 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas: what else do you like?
[10:55:40 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas: [:
[10:55:52 PM] Michael Frazer: I like a lot of different genres.
[10:56:36 PM] Michael Frazer: I do listen to quite a bit of prog (deadmau5 is one of my personal favorites), I listen to some chiptune crossovers (e.g. Crystal Castles).
[10:56:40 PM] Michael Frazer: Lots of indie.
[10:56:47 PM] Michael Frazer: of Montreal, for example.
[10:57:04 PM] Michael Frazer: I love their experimental style and the way they’ve progressed over the years.
[10:58:21 PM] Michael Frazer: Otherwise, I listen to other REALLY indie bands too: Bear Colony (an awesome band I saw once in LA), Run Toto Run (from Manchester; they broke up too soon), and so on.
[10:58:28 PM] Michael Frazer: I’ve got a diverse taste in music.
[10:58:43 PM] Michael Frazer: I’ve just discovered another band too: Casiokids.
[10:58:51 PM] Michael Frazer: I like finding new bands and new music
[10:59:17 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas: i see, very good
[10:59:36 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas: what gear are you using to make your tunes?
[11:00:11 PM] Michael Frazer: In terms of software, I rely heavily on Ableton and Absynth. I use Reason mostly for drums.
[11:00:25 PM] Michael Frazer: Ableton is my primary DAW, Absynth my primary collection of synths.
[11:01:15 PM] Michael Frazer: For hardware, I use a Novation Launchpad (hence the smiley face in my picture), Novation Nocturn, and my Mac.
[11:01:29 PM] Michael Frazer: I use a handheld recorder to capture live samples.
[11:01:37 PM] Michael Frazer: Sampling is a big part of this album.
[11:01:58 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas: you like going out and capturing sounds?
[11:02:04 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas: or is this something you’d do inside
[11:02:05 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas: [:
[11:02:37 PM] Michael Frazer: Most of my recordings are things from around the house; I sample what I find.
[11:03:26 PM] Michael Frazer: It got as crazy as flipping a bicycle upside down in the garage so I could record the chains and such.
[11:03:56 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas: hehe
[11:04:00 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas: sounds fun
[11:04:33 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas: and what is your biggest source of inspiration
[11:04:40 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas: or you just make music naturally
[11:04:46 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas: ?
[11:04:49 PM] Michael Frazer: Both, I guess.
[11:05:02 PM] Michael Frazer: I usually find a sound that I want to work into a piece.
[11:05:35 PM] Michael Frazer: “A Cup of Coffee with You” started with one or two of the elements in the song, for example.
[11:05:52 PM] Michael Frazer: I think it was the arp or the backing keyboard pad.
[11:06:17 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas: cool [:
[11:06:33 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas: who are you when you’re not producing music?
[11:07:00 PM] Michael Frazer: A graduate student/instructor.
[11:07:08 PM] Michael Frazer: Academia is the other half of my life.
[11:07:24 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas: can you give us more details about that?
[11:07:27 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas: what are studying
[11:07:27 PM] Michael Frazer: Sure.
[11:07:30 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas: etc.
[11:08:39 PM] Michael Frazer: I’m an English major, so I study literature. My primary fields are Joycean literature and (currently) Postmodern literature. Currently, I’m working more towards the latter. In fact, I’m working on a seminar paper about electronica.
[11:09:08 PM] Michael Frazer: Also, I teach two first year composition classes.
[11:09:21 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas: sounds very cool and interesting
[11:09:22 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas: [:
[11:09:35 PM] Michael Frazer: I wish my students would think so more often.
[11:10:01 PM] Michael Frazer: I’m trying to teach them how to “read” texts that aren’t written (e.g. YouTube videos, music, &c.).
[11:10:49 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas: haha, that’s crazy, today’s young people don’t know the pleasures of reading a book. Some of them do, the more smart ones
[11:11:12 PM] Michael Frazer: It seems they grasp it, but a class is a class to them, another obligation.
[11:11:30 PM] Michael Frazer: Sometimes, they engage. The YouTube unit was great for that.
[11:11:36 PM] Michael Frazer: Again, so it goes.
[11:11:55 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas: i see [:
[11:12:03 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas: how did you get into music?
[11:12:21 PM] Michael Frazer: Well, I’ve played instruments most of my life.
[11:12:31 PM] Michael Frazer: In first grade or so, I took piano lessons.
[11:13:05 PM] Michael Frazer: Fourth through the end of high school, I played flute, clarinet, alto sax, and drums.
[11:13:12 PM] Michael Frazer: My dad always plays guitar.
[11:13:15 PM] Michael Frazer: My brother too.
[11:13:22 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas: a musical family [:
[11:13:28 PM] Michael Frazer: Very much so!
[11:13:34 PM] Michael Frazer: My mom plays some piano.
[11:13:44 PM] Michael Frazer: One of my other brothers plays bass.
[11:14:07 PM] Michael Frazer: As for getting into electronica, that’s a bit different.
[11:14:29 PM] Michael Frazer: I started listening to Daft Punk in 2009. From there I discovered deadmau5 and the Bloody Beetroots.
[11:14:35 PM] Michael Frazer: I enjoyed it so much, I wanted to produce too.
[11:14:49 PM] Michael Frazer: BUT there aren’t really lessons offered, classes, &c.
[11:15:03 PM] Michael Frazer: So I started with some basic software and messed around with Ableton.
[11:15:11 PM] Michael Frazer: Learned mostly by YouTube and trial and error.
[11:15:37 PM] Michael Frazer: Essentially, I thought they had to have started somewhere, so I could do the same (learn how to produce electronic, that is).
[11:15:45 PM] Michael Frazer: I’m still in a constant process of learning.
[11:16:12 PM | Edited 11:16:19 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas: yes, the whole life is one process of learning [:
[11:16:19 PM] Michael Frazer: Indeed.
[11:16:26 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas: ok then mate
[11:16:30 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas: thanks for your time
[11:16:34 PM] Michael Frazer: No problem.
[11:16:50 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas: is there anything you’d like to tell
[11:16:56 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas: for those who have not
[11:17:02 PM | Edited 11:17:08 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas: listened to your album yet?
[11:17:03 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas:
[11:17:10 PM] Michael Frazer: hehe sure
[11:17:38 PM] Michael Frazer: There are some “Easter Eggs” on the album to look for.
[11:17:48 PM] Michael Frazer: I want listening to be enjoyable but engaging.
[11:18:19 PM] Michael Frazer: For example, there is one word spoken in repition in “Wanda.” I’m not sure if anyone found it.
[11:18:55 PM] Michael Frazer: “Det er ikke sant” has a message in it too, but it’s less hidden.
[11:19:15 PM] Michael Frazer: Minor things like that and literary references/foreign languages in the titles.
[11:19:26 PM] Michael Frazer: Oh… and a hidden track.
[11:19:27 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas: very cool [:
[11:19:45 PM] Evaldas Azbukauskas: ok then see you around [:
[11:19:56 PM] Michael Frazer: Later, Evaldas!

Excellent idm album by a US based producer em eff! Follow this link to enjoy it in full effect: http://coldtear.com/em-eff-we-speak-in-non-sequitur/

Here is a sampler of a release which will be out on November 22!

Em eff – We Speak In Non Sequitur (Album Sampler) by Cold Tear Records

Our online electronic music CD store soundlove.org is holding a contest to win the new BVDUB album called “Then” which is going to be released on December 7th, at the label AY in Japan. To find out how to participate go there: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=275221809183875&set=a.275221799183876.62428.132792110093513&type=1&theater